Final Exam Prompt (Sample)

Final Exam
Fall 2014

Analyze the rhetorical choices the author makes in the article, exploring the ways in which the author persuades (or, does not persuade) the reader to seriously consider the argument. Identify the thesis of the article and show how effective the author is in supporting the thesis.

Process:
• Read and annotate the document.
• Draft an essay on the scrap paper provided. As you copy into the bluebook, revise your work.
• Proofread before submitting.

Checklist:
• Do you begin your essay by identifying the title and author, summarizing the text and identifying its thesis?
• What is YOUR thesis? Do you have a focused thesis that analyzes the rhetorical choices the author is making?
• Do you present credible, relevant, and fully explained evidence from the article in support of YOUR thesis?
• Do you discuss the rhetorical strategies the author uses in the text? In making your argument you may consider any of the following strategies: tone (including language, style, and word choice), rhetorical appeals, the presentation of evidence (such as the types of evidence used and the organizational structure), awareness of audience, the author’s background, any bias or credibility issues and any other rhetorical elements discussed in class.
• Do you address the source of the document? Where does the article appear? And who is the expected/intended audience for this source?
• Do you paraphrase correctly and ethically and include attributive tags?
• Do you quote accurately from the document?
• Do you include an introduction and conclusion along with a clear organizational structure and transitions?
• Are your sentences grammatically correct?
• Do you use a tone appropriate for a general audience?
• Do you include the citation for the article?

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